The Age of Chivalry eBook

So on the morrow they arose, and heard mass; then
King Bagdemagus asked where the adventurous shield
was. Anon a monk led him behind an altar, where
the shield hung, as white as snow; but in the midst
there was a red cross. Then King Bagdemagus took
the shield, and bare it out of the minster; and he
said to Sir Galahad, “If it please you, abide
here till ye know how I shall speed.”

Then King Bagdemagus and his squire rode forth:
and when they had ridden a mile or two, they saw a
goodly knight come towards them, in white armor, horse
and all; and he came as fast as his horse might run,
with his spear in the rest; and King Bagdemagus directed
his spear against him, and broke it upon the white
knight, but the other struck him so hard that he broke
the mails, and thrust him through the right shoulder,
for the shield covered him not, and so he bare him
from his horse. Then the white knight turned
his horse and rode away.

Then the squire went to King Bagdemagus, and asked
him whether he were sore wounded or not. “I
am sore wounded,” said he, “and full hardly
shall I escape death.” Then the squire set
him on his horse, and brought him to an abbey; and
there he was taken down softly, and unarmed, and laid
in a bed, and his wound was looked to, for he lay
there long, and hardly escaped with his life.
And the squire brought the shield back to the abbey.

The next day Sir Galahad took the shield, and within
a while he came to the hermitage, where he met the
white knight, and each saluted the other courteously.
“Sir,” said Sir Galahad, “can you
tell me the marvel of the shield?” “Sir,”
said the white knight, “that shield belonged
of old to the gentle knight, Joseph of Arimathea;
and when he came to die he said, ’Never shall
man bear this shield about his neck but he shall repent
it, unto the time that Sir Galahad the good knight
bear it, the last of my lineage, the which shall do
many marvellous deeds.’” And then the white
knight vanished away.

SIR GAWAIN

After Sir Gawain departed, he rode many days, both
toward and forward, and at last he came to the abbey
where Sir Galahad took the white shield. And
they told Sir Gawain of the marvellous adventure that
Sir Galahad had done. “Truly,” said
Sir Gawain, “I am not happy that I took not
the way that he went, for, if I may meet with him,
I will not part from him lightly, that I may partake
with him all the marvellous adventures which he shall
achieve.” “Sir,” said one of
the monks, “he will not be of your fellowship.”
“Why?” said Sir Gawain. “Sir,”
said he, “because ye be sinful, and he is blissful.”
Then said the monk, “Sir Gawain, thou must do
penance for thy sins.” “Sir, what
penance shall I do?” “Such as I will show,”
said the good man. “Nay,” said Sir
Gawain, “I will do no penance, for we knights
adventurous often suffer great woe and pain.”
“Well,” said the good man; and he held
his peace. And Sir Gawain departed.